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Florida’s rare extreme cold offers residents a ‘unique opportunity’ or visitor The Sunshine State Wildlife Department said it was to help rid the Sunshine State of a nuisance invasive.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order Friday that allows people to “remove live fish and wildlife.” Green iguana surprised by the cold It was collected from the wild without permission. ”
The order states that on Sundays and Mondays, anyone can bring a de-chilled iguana to five designated FWC offices, but “no permit is required and the animal will be humanely killed or, in some cases, transferred to a permittee for live animal sale.”
According to the FWC, iguanas are an invasive species in Florida that “can cause damage to vegetation in residential and commercial areas and are often considered a nuisance by property owners.”
However, when temperatures drop below 40 degrees, these cold-blooded reptiles lose the ability to move their muscles and have been known to fall from trees and appear dead. But they are very much alive, only in a state of paralysis or torpor.
Iguanas that are startled by the cold may appear dead, but they are simply in a state of shock. (Cristobal Herrera/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
South Florida was expected to experience its coldest temperatures Sunday morning since 2010. According to Fox Weather.
“When collecting live, cold-stunned green iguanas for removal, members of the public should wear protective gloves, pants, and long-sleeved shirts to protect themselves from potential injuries,” the FWC said in a news release announcing the executive order.
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“Iguanas must be housed in secure, escape-proof cloth bags or sacks. Only cloth bags or sacks may be used for primary containment to ensure ventilation and must be tightly closed.”
The bags should then be placed in a “second secure, locked shipping container” labeled “Prohibited Reptiles,” according to the FWC.
FWC says residents can take advantage of Florida’s freeze by transporting cold-stunned green iguanas to one of its facilities to be euthanized without a permit. (Saul Martinez/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Residents were asked to transport captured iguanas to FWC “immediately to limit the possibility of the iguanas regaining the ability to move freely.”
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“Once transportation begins, collection bags or sacks must be closed or sealed until handed over to FWC staff,” the FWC said.
“Iguanas recover from cold shock faster than expected.”
“This is to prevent the iguanas from escaping to new locations and to prevent the iguanas from being released.” in your car Once they begin to recover from their coma. ”
According to the FWC, iguanas were first reported in South Florida in the 1960s and have been breeding in the state’s warm climate.
Green iguanas enjoy fresh leafy vegetables. These reptiles have thrived in Florida’s generally warm climate. (St. Petersburg)
They also “breed like rabbits” and are menacing. native wildlife and plantssaid Darcy Alahir, a Florida-based angler and content creator of Darsizzle Offshore YouTube videos that teach fishing techniques.
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Alahir previously told Fox News Digital, using a bow and arrow: hunt and kill themis allowed in Florida. She harvested them and posted a YouTube video about how to cook them.
She said the tail is “the best part,” but the bigger the lizard, the more meat it has on its legs.
Green iguanas are an invasive species that threatens Florida’s native wildlife and plants. (St. Petersburg)
She likes to boil iguana meat in water. potatoes and carrotsalmost like a stew, “to the point where the meat falls off the bone.”
The FWC warned the public that if they come across a cold-stunned iguana, “never bring it into a home or building for warmth, and never put it in a vehicle unless specifically transported.” [it] FWC,” according to the executive order.
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“Iguanas can recover from cold shocks more quickly than expected, and when they do, they can whip their long tails and act defensively with their sharp teeth and claws,” the FWC said.
